Method of and apparatus for coiling wire

ABSTRACT

A high speed wire coiler is provided in which a rotating laying tube distributes a rapidly moving strand of wire into a stationary coil. This is accomplished by configuring the laying tube so that the wire emerges therefrom with zero velocity and acceleration in each of three orthogonal directions, unnecessary accelerations on the wire as it moves along the laying tube are eliminated, and centrifugal force on the wire due to the rotation of the tube as the wire passes through the tube is eliminated.

United States Patent [191 Rayfield [451 Oct. 22, 1974 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR COILING WIRE [75] Inventor: Wilson Parker Rayfield, Levittown,

[73] Assignee: Western Electric Company,

Incorporated, New York, NY.

[22] Filed: Dec. 4, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 418,691

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 331,448, Feb. 12,

[52 US. Cl. 242/82 [51] Int. Cl. B2lc 47/00 [58] Field of Search 242/82, 79, 83, 174, 176, 242/178 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,991,956 7/l96l Bruestle 242/82 2,997,249 8/l96l Meinhausen 3,563,488 2/l97l Bollig 3,599,89l 8/1971 Stone 242/82 3,669,37 6/1972 Gilvar 242/82 R25,526 3/1964 Blake 242/82 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 994,543 7/1949 France 2.42/82- 662,096 4/1964 Italy 242/82 Primary Examiner-Donald E. Watkins Assistant ExaminerEdward J. McCarthy Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Jack Schuman; J. L. Stavert [57] ABSTRACT A high speed wire coiler is provided in which a rotating laying tube distributes a rapidly moving strand of wire into a stationary coil. This is accomplished by configuring the laying tube so that the wire emerges therefrom with zero velocity and acceleration in each of three orthogonal directions, unnecessary accelerations on the wire as it moves along the laying tube are eliminated, and centrifugal force on the wire due to the rotation of the tube as the wire passes through the tube is eliminated.

18 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PATENTEDUET 22 1924 Q 51% M m METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR COILING WIRE CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation-in-part of my pending application Ser. No. 331,448, filed Feb. 12, 1973.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to method of and apparatus for coiling a strand of material and more particularly to method of and apparatus for coiling wire by feeding the wire through a rotating laying tube.

TECHNICAL CONSIDERATIONS AND PRIOR ART When wire is produced at high velocities, problems are encountered in coiling the wire so that it can be handled conveniently. These problems are especially acute when producing wire by hydrostatic extrusion in which a wire strand may emerge from an extruder die at velocities in excess of 10,000 feet per minute.

It is extremely difficult to coil wire on a take-up reel at velocities of this magnitude since the reel itself must be rotated at high speed to match the peripheral velocity of the coiled reel to the linear velocity of the wire. If these velocities are not equal, the wire will either break or become tangled. At lower velocities, accumulators may be used to compensate for variations between the velocity of wire production and the velocity of the take-up reel. However, at very high velocities, accumulators are not practical since they then must necessarily become very large and complicated with resulting difficulties of their own.

Basically, the problem is to bring the wire to rest in a convenient configuration. In order to accomplish this, the prior art suggests an alternative to the take-up reel, that being the rotating laying tube. Generally, in the rotating laying tube, a curved tube is rotated about its inlet end while a strand of wire is fed through the tube. As the wire emerges from the outlet end of the tube, it is layed in a stationary coil.

The prior art discloses several examples of coilers which use rotating laying tubes. For example, the disclosures of U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,563,488, Re. 25,526, 3,599,891 and 3,669,377 issued respectively to Bollig, Blake et al., Stone and Gilvar et al. show laying tubes generally having coiled configurations. See also U.S. Pat. No. 3,445,077 to Cole et al. However, none of these patents disclose laying tubes designed to coil wire at extremely high velocities on the order of 10,000 feet per minute. Since velocities of this magnitude were not a consideration in the design of these laying tubes, the

geometric configurations of the tubes are not such as to eliminate smoothly the many forces acting on a wire as it is passed through the tubes and brought to rest. At extremely high wire velocities, acceleration and velocity vectors that could be ignored at low velocities become quite critical and must be contended with successfully to avoid wire snarls and breaks.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,997,249 issued to Meinshausen discloses a rotating laying tube with a specific geometric configuration which is disclosed as minimizing the frictional forces between the wire and the inner wall of the laying tube. Meinshausen, however, does not concern himself with removing smoothly all of the kinetic energy from the wire by the time it leaves the tube. Furthermore, Meinshausen discloses no way of eliminating centrifugal force on the wire as it passes through the rotating laying tube.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the principles of the present invention, a laying tube is rotated about a vertical axis, in the preferred embodiment, and a moving strand of wire is passed through the rotating laying tube and exits from the tube to form a stationary coil. The tube is so configured that each increment of the wire exits therefrom with zero velocity and zero acceleration in each of three orthogonal directions. In other words, the wire leaves the laying tube with zero tangential velocity and acceleration, zero radial velocity and acceleration and zero axial velocity and acceleration. Consequently, as the tube rotates, the wire drops therefrom to form a stationary coil. The configuration of the tube is such that each increment of the wire follows a straight line as it travels through the tube when viewed in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the laying tube (i.e., from directly above, in the preferred embodiment). This configuration substantially eliminates centrifugal forces due to the rotation ofthe tube acting on the wire as it passes through the tube.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a wire coiling apparatus according to the invention showing a laying tube for distributing a moving strand of wire in astationary coil while the laying tube is being rotated by a motor;

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of the laying tube of FIG. 1 situated in a cylindrical coordinate system with expressions indicated thereon which are used for determining the geometry of the laying tube;

FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of an increment of the wire with vectors extending therefrom indicative of velocity components of the increment;

FIG. 4A is a series of curves plotting cylindrical coordinates as a function of time for displacement, velocity and acceleration of the laying tube relative to ground or a fixed reference point;

FIG. 4B is similar to FIG. 4A but shows curves for the wire relative to the laying tube; and

FIG. 4C is similar to FIGS. 4A and 4B but shows curves for the wire relative to ground or a fixed reference point;

FIG. 5 represents a view in the X-Y plane (i.e., thehorizontal) showing X-Y projections (i.e., plan views) of three laying tubes, each configured for a different set of values of tube length and coil diameter, sealed in inches from the intersecting X and Y axes at the center of the figure;

FIG. 6 represents a view in the X-Z plane (i.e., the A FIG. 8 represents, diagrammatically, a view in the X-Y plane of several sequential positions determined by equal time intervals of the laying tube as it is rotated in the direction indicated by the curved arrow, and shows the locus in the X-Y plane of a point on the wire moving through the laying tube, this locus being linear and along a radius extending from the intersection of the X and Y axes (the axis of rotation of the laying tube) and extending outwardly along said radius as indicated by the straight arrow.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a wire coiling device, generally designated by the numeral 10, which receives a moving strand of wire 11 from a production device 12. The production device 12 may be a hydrostatic extruder such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,667,267 or 3,740,985 issued to F. J. Fuchs, Jr. The moving strand of wire 11 is fed into a laying tube 13 which is formed into a three-dimensional curve and supported by an inverted, hollow cone 14.

The cone 14 is rigidly secured to a spindle 19 which is, in turn, journalled in bearings 21 and 22 mounted in a supporting frame 23. Rigidly attached to the spindle 19 is a bevel gear 24 which is meshed with a second bevel gear 26. A motor 27 rotates the cone 14 by driving through the gears 26 and 24. In order to accommodate the laying tube 13, a channel 28 extends through the spindle l9 and approximates the curvature of the upper portion of the tube. The laying tube 13 is secured in the channel 28 by a packing 29 or the like and is spot welded to the inner surface 31 of the cone 14 so as to rotate with the cone when the cone is rotated by the motor 27.

The motor 27 rotates the cone l4 and laying tube 13 at a velocity sufficient to match the velocity of the discharge or outlet end 17 of the laying tube 13 to the velocity at which the wire 11 is fed into the inlet end 16 of the laying tube 13 which is centered on the longitudinal axis of spindle 19. When the laying tube 13 rotates, the wire 11 drops from the outlet end 17 thereof in the form of a stationary coil 33 into a bin 34.

GEOMETRICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE LAYING TUBE In order to form the strand of wire 11 moving at high speed in a longitudinal direction into the stationary coil 33, it is necessary to absorb all of the initial kinetic energy of the wire. In order to do this, all velocities and accelerations of the wire 11 relative to the stationary bin 34 must be reduced to zero by the time the wire leaves the laying tube 13. This is effected by providing laying tube 13 with a configuration as shown in FIG. 2 and as mathematically defined hereinafter. In addition, it is desirable to prevent the occurrence of centrifugal forces on the wire 11 due to the rotation of laying tube 13 as the wire 11 passes through the laying tube 13. This is accomplished by designing the laying tube 13 so that the rotational velocity of the laying tube 13 about the Z-axis always cancels the rotational velocity of each increment of the wire 11 about the Z-axis, and thus, in the preferred embodiment, each increment of the wire follows a straight line radiating from the axis of rotation of the laying tube, when viewed on a horizontal plane (i.e., when viewed from above), as shown diagrammatically in FIG. 8.

The shape of the'laying tube 13 is determined by analyzing the kinematic conditions of the wire 11 and the laying tube 13 relative to one another and relative to a fixed frame of reference or ground. In this disclosure, ground is chosen as the fixedreference frame X-,Y-Z as shown in FIG. 2. The position and motion of the wire 11 and the laying tube 13 are conveniently expressed in parametric form as functions of time I. Referring to FIG. 2, cylindrical coordinates l, r and 6 are used where 1 is measure along the Z axis of the coordinate system, r is measured perpendicularly from the Z axis in a plane parallel to the X-Y plane, and 0 is measured in the positive Z rotation (i.e., counterclockwise) from the X- axis. In addition, the expression R is used to denote the final radius of the laying tube 13, the expression V is used to denote the initial axial velocity of the wire 11 and the expression L is used to denote the final length of the laying tube 13 projected on the Z-axis. The scale of FIG. 2 does not permit the arrows corresponding to the expressions r, R, l and L to extend to the longitudinal axis of laying tube 13, but it is to be understood that the said expressions are referred to the said longitudinal axis. By relating these parameters to one another, the shape of the longitudinal axis of the laying tube 13 (and hence of the laying tube 13 itself) can be described mathematically when correlated with time parameters T and t, where T is the total time it takes an increment or a point on the wire 11 to pass through the laying tube 13 and t is the time required for such point on, or increment of, the wire to pass from the inlet end of the laying tube 13 to a position adjacent that point on the longitudinal axis of the laying tube 13 the coordinates of which are to be determined and thus t is any portion of the total time T.

In determining the shape of the laying tube 13, there are certain desired conditions that the laying tube 13 must fulfill. Basically, it is necessary for the wire 11 to exit from the discharge end 17 of the laying tube 13 with zero velocity and zero acceleration relative to the stationary bin 34. This means that each particle of the wire 11 must exit from the laying tube 13 with zero axial, tangential and radial velocities, in addition to zero axial, tangential and radial accelerations. Furthermore, it is desired that any accelerations applied to the wire 11 to bend and guide it as it passes through the laying tube 13, be applied in a continuous, smooth manner so as to produce no shock components which might snarl or break the wire. In addition to these desired conditions there are known conditions, namely, that the wire 11 enters the laying tube 13 with a definite axial velocity but no axial acceleration. Furthermore, the wire 11 at this entry point has no tangential, angular or radial velocities or accelerations. These desired and known kinematic conditions are used to compute the geometric configuration of the longitudinal axis of the laying tube 13 and hence of the laying tube 13 itself.

In order to derive a set of equations that define a laying tube 13 which distributes the rapidly moving strand of wire 11 into the stationary coil 33, it is necessary to analyze the velocity vectors of an increment of the wire 11 with relation both to the rotating laying tube 13 and to ground for any position of the wire in the laying tube 13. It is also necessary to analyze the velocity vectors of the laying tube 13 with respect to ground.

Referring now to FIG. 3, an increment 36 of the laying tube 13 is shown rotating about the axis Z (which is the longitudinal axis of and the axis of rotation of to travel from the inlet end 16 of laying tube 13 to laying tube increment 36 when the position of FIG. 3

occurs. In the situation shown in FIG. 3, the wire 11 has travelled down the laying tube 13 and has reached a position in the laying tube 13 where the radius of the laying tube 13 (i.e., the distance between said position and axis Z) is r. In order to relate variables such as angular velocities w and velocity vectors V to one another in their respective frames of reference, the variables are subscripted as follows:

1. Variables describing the motion of the laying tube increment 36 with respect to ground are subscripted with h.

2. Variables describing the motion of the wire increment 35 with respect to the laying tube increment 36 are subscripted with wh.

3. Variables describing the motion of the wire increment 35 with respect to ground are subscripted with w.

4. Vectors in the tangential direction are subscripted with t.

5. Vectors in the radial direction are subscripted with 6. Vectors in the axial, or Z direction are subscripted 7. Following standard analytical nomenclature, vectors will be barred (e.g., V) and scalars indicating the magnitudes of the vectors will be unbarred (e.g., V).

In order to develop equations with which to define the curved shape of the laying tube 13, it is first necessary to define the relationships between the vectors shown in FIG. 3. Since the only movement of the laying tube 13 is rotational about the Z-axis, V,,= V,,,= E x F; then by specifying b -03,

iiltr ru' Of great interest is the velocity of the wire increment 35 with respect to the increment 36 of the laying tube 13 of V,,.,,. V,,.,, is also equal to the axial velocity of the wire 11 at the input end of the laying tube 13. The vectors of FIG. 3 are orthogonal and therefore their magnitudes relate as follows:

Solving for V, yields:

lllh (VUII). lllh nrnl The coordinates which define the shape of the longitudinal axis of laying tube 13 are identical to the coordinates of a single element on the longitudinal axis of wire 11 as it moves through the laying tube 13 while the laying tube I3 is not rotating. Ihe coordinate of the wire element 11 with respect to the laying tube 13 along the Z-axis of FIG. 2 is referred to as [or l,,.,, and may be obtained by integrating V,,,-,, with respect to time as given by equation (3). Since V is known because it is the axial velocity of the wire 11 at the input end of the laying tube 13, expressions for V,-,,.,, or the radial velocity of the wire with respect to the laying tube 13 and for V or the tangential velocity of the wire with respect to the laying tube 13 must be prescribed to solve for 1...

Expressions for V and V... are derived from equations prescribed by the conditions that the curved shape of the laying tube 13 must substantially fulfill to achieve the desired result of controlling the velocity and acceleration components of the wire 11 as it is formed into the coil 33. These prescribed equations are formulated by reference to FIGS 4A, 4B and 4C in which cylindrical coordinate curves plot incremental positions I, r, and 0, incremental velocities V), V., V9 and incremental accelerations At, A. and A.) as functions of time t.

Referring to FIG. 4A, the curves l-9 relate the position of the laying tube 13 to ground as the laying tube 13 rotates at a constant speed a, which is set equal to V/R, where, as previously mentioned, R denotes the radius of the laying tube 13 at the outlet 17, and V is the velocity of the wire as it enters the laying tube 13. Note that with respect to ground the only incremental dis placement occurring is the linear angular displacement represented by 6 in curve 3 of FIG. 4A. Further note that the angular velocity Va is constant since it is the first derivative of the angular displacement 6 which has a constant slope.

Referring now-to FIG. 4B, curves 1-9 relate the posi tion and motion of the wire 11 to the three-dimensional curve formed by the laying tube 13. Since the wire 11 must follow the contour'of the laying tube 13, curves 1, 2 and 3 of FIG. 4B are most important in that the curves 1, r and 6 plot the cylindrical coordinates of the desired three-dimensional curve as a function of time I. When the curves 1, 2 and 3 of FIG. 4B are transferred to the cylindrical coordinate system of FIG. 2, the parametric time coordinate I may be eliminated and the curves combined to generate a locus of points which represent the desired three-dimensional curve. The locus of points of course represents the position as a function of time but since the time t is a parameter common to all three coordinates, the locus of points simply represents a series of positions plotting a path which has the shape of the desired threedimensional curve.

In order to obtain curves 1, 2 and 3 of FIG. 48, it is first necessary to select an expression for r the radial position of the wire 11 with respect to the laying tube 13 which is equal to the radial position of the wire 11 with respect to ground, and which fulfills prescribed conditions such as m. 0 when I 0 and r R when t T. An expression fulfilling these conditions is:

When equation 4 is plotted over the range 0 s I s T it yields curve 2 of FIG. 4B. Curves 5 and 8 of FIG. 4B are the first and second derivatives with respect to time of equation 4 which are, respectively:

rirh aw/ l l C05 C H and (6) A dV /dt (Z'ITR/T sin (27Tl/T) Note that when t 0 both V and A equal 0 and when t=T both V and A again equal zero. These results fulfill the desired conditions of zero velocity and acceleration as the wire exits from the tube 13, and both V and A are smooth and continuous functions of time over therange s t s T.

Referring now to curve 6 of FIG. 48, it is seen that the angular velocity V 7 is constant and of opposite sign to V 'in curve 6 of FIG. 4A:

where V is the constant speed of the wire 11 with respect to the laying tube 13 at both the inlet and outlet ends 16 and 17, respectively, of the laying tube 13. This condition is prescribed to cancel the rotational effect of the three-dimensional curved laying tube 13 on the wire 11, and eliminate resulting centrifugal forces.

Upon integrating equation 7 with respect to time, curve 3 of FIG. 4B is obtained wherein:

at t: W! 0 therefore C 0, and:

Upon differentiating equation 7, curve 9 of FIG. 4B is obtained in which A 9 is equal to zero.

In order to plot curve 4 of FIG. 4B, equation 3, which provides an expression for V,,,.,,, must be solved. This is accomplished by substituting the expressions of equations 4, 5 and 7 to obtain expressions of the parameters V and V used in equation 3. V is given in equation 5, derived from the prescribed equation 4. V,,,.,, is obtained from the prescribed equations in the following manner. The tangential velocity of the wire 11 relative to the three-dimensional curve of the laying tube 13 is determined by the product of the radius r,,.,, and the angular velocity V or w,,.,,.

lllll llll V 0 u-Ii since, from equation 7:

l l in-h u'h u'h/ substituting equation 4 for r,,

( lu'h ia/2w) rI/T) Sin 1' /T) l The expression for V equation 3, then becomes:

When solved numerically by substituting a range of individual values for t, curve 4 of FIG. 48 results. Note that the velocity V,,,.,, starts at a maximum of V,,., and terminates at zero.

Upon numerically differentiating equation 13 with respect to time, with the aid of a computer, the acceleration curve 7 of FIG. 4B is obtained. Note that the curve representing the acceleration of the wire relative to the Z-axis of the laying tube 13 is initially zero, varies smoothly and continuously and returns to Zero as the wire 11 exits from the laying tube 13.

In order to obtain an expression for 1 equation 13 is integrated numerically with the aid of a computer resulting in the curve 1 of FIG. 48. Note that 1, starts at zero and gradually increases to L as 1 goes from zero to T. The equation for I is expressed as:

Finally, as a check on the expressions so far determined, the curves of FIG. 4C, showing the dynamics of the wire 11 relative to ground, are obtained by adding the numerically corresponding curves of FIG. 4A to those of FIG. 48. Of particular significance are curves 3, 6 and 9 of FIG. 4C where 6,,., V a and A are equal to zero from t O to t T. This of course shows that each increment 35 of the wire 11 relative to ground undergoes no angular displacement and there fore has no angular velocity or acceleration about the Z-axis. When viewed in the negative-Z direction (FIG. 2) each increment 35 of the wire 11 simply moves along a fixed radial straight line as the laying tube 13 rotates as shown in FIG. 8. This is quite important since it indicates that there is no angular velocity on the wire 11 about the Z-axis and therefore no centrifugal force acting on the wire due to the rotation of the laying tube 13.

Curves l, 2 and 3 of FIG. 4B conform to the cylindrical coordinate system of FIG, 2 and therefore define the three-dimensional curve to which the laying tube 13 conforms. Equations 4, 9 and 14 can therefore be solved to yield the shape of the laying tube 13. These equations are again:

- and ar COS T 21/2 n T dt,0st T (14) The foregoing equations may be further simplified.

Let S equal the actual length of the laying tube 13 measured along its longitudinal axis.

Let the dimensionless variable n equal the ratio t/T (i.e., the ratio of the time for a point on the wire to pass from the inlet end ofthe laying tube 13 to a position adjacent that point on the longitudinal axis of the laying tube 13 the coordinates of which are to be determined, to the total time for a point on the wire to pass from the inlet end to the outlet end of the laying tube 13, which, it will be appreciated, may be expressed as the time fraction of the point through the laying tube 13, which, it will be further appreciated, may be expressed as the distance fraction of the point from the inlet end of the laying tube 13 relative to S).

Let VH1,

Making the foregoing substitutions ofn for t/T and of S/V for T in equations 4, 9 and 14 yields:

( ll'll /2Tr) [21m sin 27m], s n 51 11']: 0 S n l n R 2 wh f (1"COS S The subscript wh, heretofore employed for convenience in deriving the equations, may now be dropped, and it will be seen that the non-subscripted coordinates r, 6 and l correspond with the non-subscripted coordinates of FIG. 2. These equations as used for computing the configuration of laying tube 13 will now be written as:

(18) r= (R/21r)[2rrn sin 21m], 0 s n I (19) 6=(nS/R),Os n 1 These equations are solved numerically with the aid of a computer by substituting values for R, n and S.

It is important to note that the longitudinal axis of laying tube 13 at the outlet end 17 thereof lies in a plane which is perpendicular to the axis of rotation of spindle 19 (i.e., with spindle 19 rotating about a vertical axis of rotation in the preferred embodiment, the longitudinal axis of laying tube 13 at the outlet end 17 thereof is horizontal). Thus, in the preferred embodiment, wire 11 leaves laying tube 13 horizontally, and' without any velocity or acceleration components in the vertical direction.

It is also important to note that the longitudinal axis of laying tube 13 at the outlet end '17 thereof is tangential to a circle having a radius extending from the axis' of rotation of spindle 19 to the said outlet end 17, which radius is the radius of the coil 33. Thus, wire 11 leaves laying tube 13 without any velocity or accelera- 1 2 1/2 nsin27rn]) dn,0n l

. tion components along the said radius. Due to the fact that the wire 11 had no acceleration components when it entered the inlet end 16 of laying tube 13, and due to the fact that the velocity of the discharge end 17 of laying tube 13 is equal to the velocity of the wire 11 when it entered the inlet end 16 of laying tube 13 (and thus the velocity of the discharge end 17 relative to ground is equal to but opposite in direction to the velocity relative to the discharge end 17 of the wire 11 exiting laying tube 13), wire 11 leaves laying tube 13 without any velocity or acceleration components tangential to the said radius.

A value for R may be prescribed depending only on the size of the coil 33 desired. R of course can not be made too small since a radius which is too small will subject the wire 11 being coiled to excessive bending stresses. For example, with 17 gauge aluminum wire, an R of three feet would be practical.

Any convenient value for V can be chosen provided that the angular velocity of the laying tube 13 equals Vim/R. For hydrostatic extruders, a V,,.,, of l0,000 feet per minute and higher is possible. The shape of the laying tube 13 is independent of the axial velocity of the wire 11 and the correlated rotational speed of the laying tube 13. The apparatus can accommodate wire at varying speeds provided the rotational speed of the laying tube 13 is continuously controlled to yield:

The numerical solutions of equations l5 and 16 and the numerical integration of equation l7, require substitutions for n. A series such as:

n 98/100, n 99/100, n 1 may be used to obtain a sufficient approximation of the three-dimensional curve that the laying tube 13 should follow.

The actual length of the laying tube 13, S, as opposed to the axial length l,,.,,, may also be: prescribed. The actual length, S, must be equal to or greater than the product (2.532) (R) in order to keep the bracketed term in equation 13 positive.

Typical configurations for laying tubes 13 are shown quantitatively in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 converted in the known manner from cylindrical coordinates to X-YZ coordinates. Those curves referenced by the letter a in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 were computed, according to the formulas hereinabove developed, to describe the threedimensional configuration of a laying tube having an actual length of 32 inches laying a coil having a diameter of 12 inches. Those curves referenced by the letter b describe the three-dimensional configuration ofa laying tube having an actual length of 24 inches laying a coil having a diameter of 12 inches. Those curves referenced by the letter 0 described the three-dimensional configuration of a laying tube having an actual length of 16 inches laying a coil having a diameter of 12 inches. The numerals on the scales of the figures are in inches. The two scales in each figure can be multiplied by the same factor to show quantitatively the configuration of a laying tube for coils of different diameter. Thus, for a coil of 36 inches diameter, the scales in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 would be multiplied by 3 and curves a would show the configuration ofa laying tube having an actual length of 96 inches, curves b would show the configuration of a laying tube having an actual length of 72 inches, and curves c would show the configuration of a laying tube having an actual length of 48 inches.

The three-dimensional curve defined by the equations l5, l6 and I7 embodies a shape for the laying tube 13 which eliminates unnecessary accelerations and reduces inertial and reaction forces acting on the wire 11 as it passes through the laying tube 13. In addition, the maintenance of the total. path of each increment 35 of wire 11 travelling through laying tube 13 within a single plane containing the Z-axis and not rotating about the Z-axis eliminates centrifugal force on the wire 11 due to the rotation of laying tube 13. Consequently, the illustrated embodiment of the invention provides a wire coiling device 10 which can coil wire at extremely high speeds.

The preferred embodiment has been shown with the axis of rotation of the laying tube 13 being vertical, and the coil 33 laid thereby as horizontal. It should be understood that the invention can be embodied in apparatus wherein the axis of rotation of the laying tube 13 is horizontal (or even at an angle between horizontal and vertical) to form a vertical coil 33 (or a coil 33 at an angle between horizontal and vertical), in which event means well known in the art will be provided to collect or lay down the coil 33.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for continuously coiling wire having an initial axial velocity into -a circular coil of predetermined radius, said apparatus comprising:

a. a laying tube having an inlet end adapted to receive the moving wire and an outlet end adapted to discharge the wire in the form of a circular coil;

means to rotate said laying tube about an axis of rotation aligned with the longitudinal axis of the laying tube through the inlet end thereof and in such direction that the outlet end of the laying tube trails the body of the laying tube;

0. the longitudinal axis of the laying tube through the outlet end thereof lying in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the laying tube and being tangent to a circle having its center lying on said axis of rotation and with radius equal to the distance between said axis of rotation and the longitudinal axis of the laying tube through the outlet end thereof, the radius of said circle being equal to the radius of said circular coil.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein:

d. the laying tube is configured between its inlet end and its outlet end in such manner that the projection on a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the laying tube of the locus ofa point on the wire passing through said laying tube from the inlet end to the outlet end thereof is linear and along a radius extending from the said axis of rotation.

3. Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein:

d. the longitudinal axis of the laying tube is the locus of points between the inlet and outlet ends thereof according to the formulas:

i. r (R/21r) [21m sin 21m] ii. 6 nS/R 2 [/2 sin 21m] n dn (iii) where n any number from O to l, S actual length of the laying tube along its longitudinal axis, R radius of the coil distance between the axis of rotation ofthe laying tube and the longitudinal axis of the laying tube through the outlet end thereof,

r distance between the axis of rotation of the laying tube and that point on the longitudinal axis of the laying tube the coordinates of which are to be determined,

angular displacement of that point on the longitudinal axis of the laying tube the coordinates of which are to be determined measured from a selected datum plane containing the axis of rotation of the laying tube,

1 distance along the axis of rotation of the laying tube between the inlet end thereof and a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation containing that point on the longitudinal axis of the laying tube the coordinates of which are to be determined.

4. Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein:

d. the length of the laying tube along its longitudinal axis is greater than 2.532 R where R is the radius of the coil.

5. Apparatus for continuously coiling wire having an initial axial velocity into a stationary circular coil of predetermined radius, said apparatus comprising:

a. a laying tube having an inlet end adapted to receive the moving wire and an outlet end adapted to discharge the wire in the form of a stationary circular coil, the longitudinal axis of the laying tube through the inlet end thereof being vertical and aligned with the longitudinal axis of the wire received thereby;

b. means to rotate said laying tube about a vertical axis of rotation aligned with the longitudinal axis of the laying tube through the inlet end thereofand in such direction that the outlet end of the laying tube trails the body of the laying tube;

0. the longitudinal axis of the laying tube through the outlet end thereof being horizontal and tangent to a circle having its center lying on said axis of rotation and with radius equal to the distance between said axis of rotation and the longitudinal axis of the laying tube through the outlet end thereof, the radius of said circle being equal to the radius of said stationary circular coil.

6. Apparatus as in claim 5, wherein:

d. the laying tube is configured between its inlet end and its outlet end in such manner that the projection on a horizontal plane of the locus of a point on the wire passing through said laying tube from the inlet end to the outlet end thereof is linear and along a radius extending from the said axis of rotation.

7. Apparatus as in claim 5, wherein:

d. the longitudinal axis of the laying tube is the locus of points between the inlet and outlet ends thereof according to the formulas:

i. r= (R/271') [21rnsin 21m] ii. 6 nS/R l 2 1/2 [n sin 27m] (In (iii) where n any number from 0 to l, 8 actual length of the laying tube along its longitu- -dinal axis, R radius of the coil distance between the axis of rotation of the laying tube and the longitudinal axis of the laying tube through the outlet end thereof,

r= distance between the axis of rotation of the laying tube and that point on the longitudinal axis of the laying tube the coordinates of which are to be determined,

0 angular displacement of that point on the longitudinal axis of the laying tube the coordinates of which are to be determined measured from a selected datum plane containing the axis of rotation of the laying tube,

' itia] axial velocity into a circular coil of predetermined radius, said method comprising:

a. conducting said wire along a path having an inlet end adapted to receive said wire and an outlet end;

bl rotating said path about an axis of rotation aligned with the longitudinal axis of said path through the inlet end thereof, in such direction that the outlet end'of the path trails the body of the path, and with such angular velocity that the velocity of the outlet end of the path is equal to but opposite in direction to the velocity of the wire exiting said outlet end relative to said outlet end;

c. discharging said wire from theoutlet end of said path in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said path and tangent to a circle having its center' lying on said axis of rotation and with radius equal to the distance between said axis of rotation and the longitudinal axis of said path through the outlet end thereof, thereby to form said coil having a radius equal to the radius of said circle.

10. Method as in claim 9, wherein:

d. in performing steps a and b said path is configured between its inlet end and its outlet end in such manner that the projection on a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said path of the locus of a point on the wire passing along said path from the inlet end to the outlet end thereof during rotation of said path about said axis of rotation is linear and along a radius extending from the said axis of rotation.

11. Method as in claim 9, wherein:

d. in performing step a, the wire is conducted along a path having a configuration at rest between the inlet and outlet ends thereof determined by the fol lowing formulas:

i. r (R/21r)[21m sin 21m] ii. nS/ R 1 51) (l[ (l-Cos 27771)] 1 2 1/2 [n sin 21m] dn 1 (111) where n any number from 0 to l,

S actual length of the path along its longitudinal ax1s,

R radius of the coil distance between the axis of rotation of the path and the longitudinal axis of the path through the outlet end thereof,

- r distance between the axis of rotation of the path and a point on the path the coordinates of which are to be determined,

6 angular displacement of that point on the path the coordinates of which are to be determined from a selected datum plane containing the axis of rotation of the laying tube,

l distance along the axis of rotation of the path between the inlet end thereof and a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation containing that point on the path the coordinates of which are to be determined.

12. Method as in claim 9, wherein:

d. in performing step a said path is configured with a length along its longitudinal axis greater than 2.532 R where R is the radius. of the coil.

13. Method for continuously coiling wire having an initial axial velocity into a stationary circular coil of predetermined radius, said method comprising:

a. conducting said wire along a path having an inlet end adapted to receive said wire and an outlet end;

b. rotating said path about-a vertical axis of rotation aligned with the. longitudinal axis of said path through the inlet end thereof, in such direction that the outlet end of the path trails the body 'of the path, and with such angular velocity that the velocity of the outlet end of the path is equal to but opposite in direction to the velocity of the wire exiting said outlet end relative to said outlet end;

0. discharging said wire from the outlet end of the path in a horizontal plane and tangent to a circle having its center lying on said axis of rotation and with radius equal to the distance between said axis of rotation and the longitudinal axis of said path through the outlet end thereof;

(1. said wire exiting the outlet end of said path dropping from said outlet end under the influence of gravity to form a stationary coil of radius equal to the radius of said circle.

14. Method as in claim 13, wherein:

e. in performing steps a and b said path is configured between its inlet end and its outlet end in such manner that the projection on a horizontal plane of the locus of a point on the wire passing along said path from the inlet end to the outlet end thereof during rotation of said path about said axis of rotation is linear and along a radius extending from the said axis of rotation.

15. Method as in claim 13, wherein:

e. in performing step a, the wire is conducted along a path having a configuration at rest between the inlet and outlet ends thereof determined by the following formulas:

i r= (R/21r) [21m sin 21m] ii. 0 R/S 1/2 dn (iii) R radius of the coil distance between the axis of rotation of the path and the longitudinal axis of the path through the outlet end thereof,

r distance between the axis of rotation of the path and a point on the path the coordinates of which are to be determined, angular displacement of that point on the path the coordinates of which are to be determined from a selected datum plane containing the axis of rotation of the laying tube,

l= distance along the axis of rotation of the path between the'inlet end thereof and a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation containing that point on the path the coordinates of which are to be determined.

16. Method as in claim 13, wherein:

e. in performing step a said path is configured with a length along its longitudinal axis greater than 2.532 R where R is the radius of the coil.

17. Apparatus as in claim I, wherein said means to rotate the laying tube is adapted to rotate the said laying tube at such angular velocity that the velocity of the outlet end of the laying tube is equal to but opposite in direction to the velocity of the wire exiting said outlet end relative to said outlet end.

18. Apparatus as in claim 5, wherein said means to rotate the laying tube is adapted to rotate the said laying tube at such angular velocity that the velocity of the outlet end of the laying tube is equal to but opposite in direction to the velocity of the wire exiting said outlet and relative to said outlet end.

Disclaimer 3,843,072-W71Zs0n Parker Ray field, Levittown, Pa. METHOD OF AND APPARATUS F OR COILING WIRE. Patent dated Oct. 22, 197 4.

Disclaimer filed Oct. 12, 1976, by the assignee, Western Electric Oompcmy, Incorporated.

Hereby enters this disclaimer to claims 1, 5, 9, 13, 17 and 18 of said patent.

[Ofiiez'al Gazette December 14, 1.976.]

,- umhsm STATES PATENT 0mm CBRTIIQAT 0F co Paw No. 3, 8, 7 Dated October 22, 1971+ 'i f wImsoN PARIGER RAYFIEIJ) It is certified, that error appears in the above-identified pawn: and that said LEUETS Patent are hereby corrected as shown beiow:

Column 5, line M1, "E should read "v line 46, "Trl should read --V1 line L, "VJ should read T:QW-. Column 6, l ihe 15, "V should read --X{ ----5 line 16, "A should read "Al".

Column l2 claim 7, line #2, "ii. 9 nS/R should read ---ii. 9 a nS/R--. 7

Column 16, claim 18, line 15, "and should read "end".

Signed and sealed this 18th day of February 1975.

(SEAL) Attest:

' C. MARSHALL DANN RUTH C. MASUN Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer and Trademarks 

1. Apparatus for continuously coiling wire having an initial axial velocity into a circular coil of predetermined radius, said apparatus comprising: a. a laying tube having an inlet end adapted to receive the moving wire and an outlet end adapted to discharge the wire in the form of a circular coil; b. means to rotate said laying tube about an axis of rotation aligned with the longitudinal axis of the laying tube through the inlet end thereof and in such direction that the outlet end of the laying tube trails the body of the laying tube; c. the longitudinal axis of the laying tube through the outlet end thereof lying in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the laying tube and being tangent to a circle having its center lying on said axis of rotation and with radius equal to the distance between said axis of rotation and The longitudinal axis of the laying tube through the outlet end thereof, the radius of said circle being equal to the radius of said circular coil.
 2. Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein: d. the laying tube is configured between its inlet end and its outlet end in such manner that the projection on a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the laying tube of the locus of a point on the wire passing through said laying tube from the inlet end to the outlet end thereof is linear and along a radius extending from the said axis of rotation.
 3. Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein: d. the longitudinal axis of the laying tube is the locus of points between the inlet and outlet ends thereof according to the formulas: i. r (R/2 pi ) (2 pi n - sin 2 pi n) ii. theta nS/R
 4. Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein: d. the length of the laying tube along its longitudinal axis is greater than 2.532 R where R is the radius of the coil.
 5. Apparatus for continuously coiling wire having an initial axial velocity into a stationary circular coil of predetermined radius, said apparatus comprising: a. a laying tube having an inlet end adapted to receive the moving wire and an outlet end adapted to discharge the wire in the form of a stationary circular coil, the longitudinal axis of the laying tube through the inlet end thereof being vertical and aligned with the longitudinal axis of the wire received thereby; b. means to rotate said laying tube about a vertical axis of rotation aligned with the longitudinal axis of the laying tube through the inlet end thereof and in such direction that the outlet end of the laying tube trails the body of the laying tube; c. the longitudinal axis of the laying tube through the outlet end thereof being horizontal and tangent to a circle having its center lying on said axis of rotation and with radius equal to the distance between said axis of rotation and the longitudinal axis of the laying tube through the outlet end thereof, the radius of said circle being equal to the radius of said stationary circular coil.
 6. Apparatus as in claim 5, wherein: d. the laying tube is configured between its inlet end and its outlet end in such manner that the projection on a horizontal plane of the locus of a point on the wire passing through said laying tube from the inlet end to the outlet end thereof is linear and along a radius extending from the said axis of rotation.
 7. Apparatus as in claim 5, wherein: d. the longitudinal axis of the laying tube is the locus of points between the inlet and outlet ends thereof according to the formulas: i. r (R/2 pi ) (2 pi n- sin 2 pi n) ii. theta nS/R
 8. Apparatus as in claim 5, wherein: d. the length of the laying tube along its longitudinal axis is greater than 2.532 R where R is the radius of the coil.
 9. Method for continuously coiling wire having an initial axial velocity into a circular coil of predetermined radius, said method comprising: a. conducting said wire along a path having an inlet end adapted to receive said wire and an outlet end; b. rotating said path about an axis of rotation aligned with the longitudinal axis of said path through the inlet end thereof, in such direction that the outlet end of the path trails the body of the path, and with such angular velocity that the velocity of the outlet end of the path is equal to but opposite in direction to the velocity of the wire exiting said outlet end relative to said outlet end; c. discharging said wire from the outlet end of said path in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said path and tangent to a circle having its center lying on said axis of rotation and with radius equal to the distance between said axis of rotation and the longitudinal axis of said path through the outlet end thereof, thereby to form said coil having a radius equal to the radius of said circle.
 10. Method as in claim 9, wherein: d. in performing steps a and b said path is configured between its inlet end and its outlet end in such manner that the projection on a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said path of the locus of a point on the wire passing along said path from the inlet end to the outlet end thereof during rotation of said path about said axis of rotation is linear and along a radius extending from the said axis of rotation.
 11. Method as in claim 9, wherein: d. in performing step a, the wire is conducted along a path having a configuration at rest between the inlet and outlet ends thereof determined by the following formulas: i. r (R/2 pi )(2 pi n - sin 2 pi n) ii. theta nS/R
 12. Method as in claim 9, wherein: d. in performing step a said path is configured with a length along its longitudinal axis greater than 2.532 R where R is the radius of the coil.
 13. Method for continuously coiling wiRe having an initial axial velocity into a stationary circular coil of predetermined radius, said method comprising: a. conducting said wire along a path having an inlet end adapted to receive said wire and an outlet end; b. rotating said path about a vertical axis of rotation aligned with the longitudinal axis of said path through the inlet end thereof, in such direction that the outlet end of the path trails the body of the path, and with such angular velocity that the velocity of the outlet end of the path is equal to but opposite in direction to the velocity of the wire exiting said outlet end relative to said outlet end; c. discharging said wire from the outlet end of the path in a horizontal plane and tangent to a circle having its center lying on said axis of rotation and with radius equal to the distance between said axis of rotation and the longitudinal axis of said path through the outlet end thereof; d. said wire exiting the outlet end of said path dropping from said outlet end under the influence of gravity to form a stationary coil of radius equal to the radius of said circle.
 14. Method as in claim 13, wherein: e. in performing steps a and b said path is configured between its inlet end and its outlet end in such manner that the projection on a horizontal plane of the locus of a point on the wire passing along said path from the inlet end to the outlet end thereof during rotation of said path about said axis of rotation is linear and along a radius extending from the said axis of rotation.
 15. Method as in claim 13, wherein: e. in performing step a, the wire is conducted along a path having a configuration at rest between the inlet and outlet ends thereof determined by the following formulas: i r (R/2 pi ) (2 pi n - sin 2 pi n) ii. theta R/S
 16. Method as in claim 13, wherein: e. in performing step a said path is configured with a length along its longitudinal axis greater than 2.532 R where R is the radius of the coil.
 17. Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said means to rotate the laying tube is adapted to rotate the said laying tube at such angular velocity that the velocity of the outlet end of the laying tube is equal to but opposite in direction to the velocity of the wire exiting said outlet end relative to said outlet end.
 18. Apparatus as in claim 5, wherein said means to rotate the laying tube is adapted to rotate the said laying tube at such angular velocity that the velocity of the outlet end of the laying tube is equal to but opposite in direction to the velocity of the wire exiting said outlet and relative to said outlet end. 